Seating Chart
by BookWorm77071
Summary: An alphabetised seating chart in Potions class. Clearly not the worst thing ever. Unless, of course, you're stuck in the Ps and your best mate in the Bs gets to live it up next to a very bright E. A Sirius/Lily friendship, Jealous!James story.
**A/N: A piece I wrote a few years ago and found recently, about Sirius and Lily's friendship. I guess I should be working on Sovereign Affairs, huh? It's coming along, I promise.**

 **I hope you like it!**

* * *

"Settle down, everyone," called Slughorn as the chattering seventh years exchanged tales of their summer holidays. "Please, Miss Jordan–yes, thank you. No, don't sit down just yet, I've got a seating chart planned–"

The class cut him off with a collective groan, as expected. He chuckled. "Don't fret, it's only for the first month or so, just want to see how it goes! Now," he said, pulling out a piece of parchment. "We're thirty-two seventh years, which means everybody gets a partner! Isn't that nice?"

"Lovely," Sirius Black said under his breath to James Potter, who chuckled.

"Right, then. Let's begin. Miss Abbott, Miss Alderton," Slughorn said, pointing to the front desk in the far left corner. "You're here. Mr Belby, Miss Baggins–Ashley Baggins!– here."

More groans rang throughout the classroom as they realized the new seating chart was alphabetical. Slughorn laughed. "Quiet down, now, I'm sure you'll survive! Sirius Black, Lily Evans! Sit here, please."

"Evans!" said Sirius, slinging his bag on his chair.

"Hi, Sirius," grinned Lily. "Ready to work?"

"Ready to have my favourite Potioneer do my work for me!" he said cheerfully.

Lily laughed. "Keep dreaming, Sirius."

"Count on it."

James frowned at them while Slughorn continued, pairing up the class by the mocking monstrosity that was the English alphabet.

"Mr Potter, you're with Mr Pyrite–"

Oh, no.

Oh. No.

 _What fresh hell is this?_ James thought to himself as he plopped down a few desks behind Lily and Sirius, next to the most boring human being in existence.

"Hello, James," said Andrew Pyrite.

"Hullo, Andrew," said James dully, watching Sirius laugh as Lily described some odd distant relatives she encountered over the summer.

"How were the holidays?" Andrew asked him.

"Fine," he said, wanting the ground to swallow him up, as he knew what was coming. "How were yours?"

 _Please say "fine" and move on, please say "fine" and move on._

"Wonderful, thank you for asking," Andrew said. "It started off really well. Directly after we got off the train, my parents took me to an ice cream shop, and I got vanilla, which is my favourite flavour…"

It might help, thought James, if Pyrite were Muggleborn, or at least Half-blood, so James could hear about some exciting new thing like the airport Lily mentioned last night, or a film at the cinema Remus went to. But no, he was so boringly Pureblood, Sirius had often commented how surprised he was Pyrite could stand on his own two feet, being as inbred as he was.

Andrew Pyrite himself wasn't a supporter of Voldemort, seeing as his mother was a Fawcett, but he definitely had relatives who were. Then again, so did Sirius, but he was never this… bland.

When the bell finally rang, James leapt up to his feet.

"See you, James," Pyrite said.

"Bye, Andrew."

James fought against the crowd, trying to get to Lily and Sirius.

"So, Potions at seven?" he heard Lily say.

"It's a date!" Sirius replied.

"All right. Bye, Sirius!"

"See you, Lil."

James reached out and grabbed Sirius' shoulder.

"Hello, James," Sirius said, completely deadpan. "Would you like to see about my favourite porcupine quill? I've had it since I was a child. Look at how grey it– oi!"

James pushed Sirius out into the corridor. Sirius stumbled a few steps, laughing, before he righted himself against the wall.

"Prat," James said.

"Hey, it's not my fault your last name starts with _P_. You should blame your dad. Your mum was a Black, you know. If you'd have taken her name, you'd be sitting next to me, and Lily next to Roger Edgecombe."

"But then everyone would know what kind of people I've got for relatives."

"Point taken." Sirius grinned. "Hey, you should hear about some of Lily's relatives. She told me about her sister's new boyfriend, Ver-"

But at the black look on James' face, he fell silent.

* * *

For the next few weeks, Potions class continued much in the same manner. Oh, they started working on harder things, sure. But with Pyrite, everything was so _routine_ , and it was enough to make him wish for a Dementor attack just to get some variety. James was seriously wondering if, in fact, Pyrite would be any different with the soul sucked out of him when shrieks of laughter interrupt the class. Professor Slughorn turned from the board.

"Yes, Lily, Sirius?"

"S-sorry, Professor," Lily said, holding back a fit of giggles.

"We'll be quiet," promised Sirius.

Slughorn smiled at the two of them, two of his favourite students, both members of the Slug Club, and James was overcome by such a rage of jealousy he started seeing red.

"I'll tell you later," he heard Lily whisper to Sirius.

At the end of class, James stomped up to Sirius without saying goodbye to Pyrite. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

Sirius looked up at him blankly. "Packing up my things?"

" _With Lily._ "

"Oh," Sirius said. "I'm meeting her again tonight. We're going to have loads of fun. Lily's great," he added, as if this thought had just occurred to him.

"I know!" said James indignantly.

Sirius nodded and went to back to putting his things back. James slapped his hand down on the desk. Sirius looked up at him, completely bewildered.

"Is this because you're in love with Lily? We're just friends, mate. Why don't you just ask her out yourself?"

"I…" said James. "D'you… I mean does she ever… mention me… in that way?"

"Surprisingly enough, James," Sirius said rather huffily, "we have other things to talk about than you."

James glared. "Just answer the question, Black."

"Yeah," Sirius said. "I reckon you got a pretty good chance."

James thought he could feel his feet lift up off the ground.

"But don't ask her tonight!" Sirius said, bringing him back down.

"Why not?"

"Tonight's our mate-date," Sirius said, exasperated. "Honestly, Prongs…"

"Is she free for Hogsmeade?" James said excitedly.

"I don't know," Sirius said, lifting his bag (even though he did–she was).

* * *

A few hours later, Sirius found Lily in a spare classroom with a pitcher of Butterbeer for their mate-date.

"It worked," he said gleefully, handing her a bar of Honeyduke's Finest. "He's so jealous. He'll definitely ask you out."

Lily flushed with pleasure. "Cheers, mate."

* * *

 **A/N: Reviews are welcome, of course. I'd love to hear what you think! I'm also always accepting requests!**


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